1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to virtual reality (VR), and in particular to virtual reality platforms that capture, process and communicate VR multimedia content from a VR venue to VR viewing audiences.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over time, VR is becoming more dependent on multidimensional video content and multidimensional audio content. Multidimensional physical content and multidimensional chemical content is close at hand in the near future to further enhance the VR experience.
Prior art devices have been disclosed for capturing multimedia content i.e. multimedia video content and multimedia audio content from inside VR venues. The multimedia content captured by these prior art devices is used to drive generic VR display apparatus used by the VR viewing audiences to enjoy the VR experience.
Three new VR modules are disclosed in the present invention to enhance the capture of multidimensional video content, multidimensional audio content, multidimensional physical content and multidimensional chemical content inside VR venues.    1. It would be useful to camouflage the surfaces of VR modules to match the color, texture etc. of the VR venue while a VR session is in progress to make the VR modules inconspicuous to the players in sports venues during games.    2. It would be useful to make the materials and veneers chosen to be used for VR modules in sports VR venues to play the same as the regular sports paraphernalia with regard to i.e. texture, resilience, rigidity, and durability, so that coming into contact with a VR module doesn't alter the feel of the game.    3. It would be useful for the VR module to capture the entire 360 degree three dimensional spherical field of view in the space around the VR module without artifacts.    4. It would be useful for some VR modules to have a disk like shape for them to be conveniently precision loaded and aligned into an easily bored precision cylindrical hole in the floor, ground, ice or walls of the VR venue in order to have a vantage point for capturing multimedia content, such as for example a boxing ring, a basketball court, an ice hockey rink, and an symphony orchestra stage platform.    5. It would be useful for the multimedia video content to be captured in 3-D.    6. It would be useful for having VR module camera configurations with the lines of sight of the cameras pointing in opposite directions 180 degrees apart,    7. It would be useful for the 3-D interpupillary distance to be capable of being varied over a wide range in order to produce special 3-D entertaining effects for the VR viewing audience.    8. It would be useful for an authorized operator to have control of the magnitude of the 3-D effects.    9. It would be useful for the authorized operator to have control of the multidimensional sound effects.    10. It would be useful for the authorized operator to control the distance between microphones over a wide range in order to get control of the multidimensional sound effects and 3-D effects.    11. It would be useful for the multimedia audio content to be captured in multidimensional sound.    12. It would be useful for the captured multimedia content to be simultaneously streamed on to the Internet for Internet users as well as being broadcast to TV viewers, as well as being transmitted to VR viewing audiences.    13. It would be useful for the multimedia content to be captured by a moving system of VR modules.    14. It would be useful for the video and audio multimedia content to be stabilized despite the motion of the capturing VR modules.    15. It would be useful for the VR modules to measure and communicate the physical and chemical states of a VR venue, like wind, rain, snow, weather, the presence of gases, voltages, charge, smells, breath test, alcohol etc. The physical and chemical states are known more commonly as physical media content and chemical media content.    16. It would be useful for an array of VR modules to be deployed in chosen locations in VR venues to provide exciting and entertaining VR experiences.    17. It would be useful for the VR modules to employ a flat image sensor array of pixel elements disposed in at least one of a circular shape.    18. It would be useful for the VR modules to employ a corrugated bellows for adjusting the line of sight of the 3-D stereo camera pairs.    19. It would be useful for the VR modules to employ an array of microphones for capturing airborne sounds and an array of microphones for capturing conducted sounds.    20. It would be useful for the VR modules to employ a CPU configured for processing and recording and for storing and for retrieving multimedia content.    21. It would be useful for the VR modules to be mobile inside the VR venue and navigate under the control of an officially authorized operator.    22. It would be useful for each of the VR modules to communicate their captured and processed multimedia content by wireless, fiber optics and copper cable links.    23. It would be useful for the authorized operator to mechanically rotate the camera image sensors about their optical/line of sight axis.    24. It would be useful for the VR modules to capture video frames covering a continuous 360 degree full spherical field of view collage around the VR module without artifacts.    25. It would be useful for the VR modules to capture a collage of video frames using 3-D stereo camera pair's arranged at 90 degree intervals around the perimeter of the VR module's structure with lines of sight that look radially outward from the center of the structure.    26. It would be useful for the VR modules to use multipoint diversity reception techniques for VR venues whose electrical noise and interference interferes with the VR modules wireless communications.